New to me 06 LR3 HSE Tonga Green:
#1
08-13-2016, 01:20 PM
New to me 06 LR3 HSE Tonga Green:
Well I'm excited to have another LR in the family!
My wife and I are expecting another little one in the fall and we've been thinking long term and we both agreed a 3rd row SUV would be a serious advantage. My wife's current vehicle was an awesome Hummer H3 Alpha with the 5.3L V8, but for a family vehicle it's rather small inside.
So long story short I started looking and omg some of the LR3's in my area were total garbage!!! Sagging headliners, torn seats, faded paint, and a lot of $$$$$ for base models. I finally located an 06 HSE in Tonga Green with kinda a rare black interior choice vs the usual light tan.
It was at a hole in the wall place, but it was priced like 3K less than other LR3's with more miles and less options. I went to look at it just to see how it was and not trying to think about it being a hole in the wall dealership.
They were driving the LR3 for errands and such so at least I knew it was in good enough shape to drive around lol. I slapped on my Scangauge II to see what it was running at idle and it was a stable 206F with the AC on max. (My company van actually overheated to 230F on the way there lol). It had the typical small door dings, and scratches from parking lots, but new tires, super clean interior, and it had the HD Package with the locking rear diff and full size spare which was a nice surprise. I drove down really beat up streets to test the front lower control arms, and not a sound from them.
I also found the dealer was a father/son hobby and they just liked getting cars and selling them (only had like 5-10 cars tops). I said I wanted it and the father was like there is no way you'll get approved this late in the day (4:30PM). Well I said I've got mint credit so we headed to his preffered bank. I got a loan in under 30min lol.
My plan is to buy the LR3, sell the H3 Alpha and just pay off the LR3 before the first car payment.
My wife and I are expecting another little one in the fall and we've been thinking long term and we both agreed a 3rd row SUV would be a serious advantage. My wife's current vehicle was an awesome Hummer H3 Alpha with the 5.3L V8, but for a family vehicle it's rather small inside.
So long story short I started looking and omg some of the LR3's in my area were total garbage!!! Sagging headliners, torn seats, faded paint, and a lot of $$$$$ for base models. I finally located an 06 HSE in Tonga Green with kinda a rare black interior choice vs the usual light tan.
It was at a hole in the wall place, but it was priced like 3K less than other LR3's with more miles and less options. I went to look at it just to see how it was and not trying to think about it being a hole in the wall dealership.
They were driving the LR3 for errands and such so at least I knew it was in good enough shape to drive around lol. I slapped on my Scangauge II to see what it was running at idle and it was a stable 206F with the AC on max. (My company van actually overheated to 230F on the way there lol). It had the typical small door dings, and scratches from parking lots, but new tires, super clean interior, and it had the HD Package with the locking rear diff and full size spare which was a nice surprise. I drove down really beat up streets to test the front lower control arms, and not a sound from them.
I also found the dealer was a father/son hobby and they just liked getting cars and selling them (only had like 5-10 cars tops). I said I wanted it and the father was like there is no way you'll get approved this late in the day (4:30PM). Well I said I've got mint credit so we headed to his preffered bank. I got a loan in under 30min lol.
My plan is to buy the LR3, sell the H3 Alpha and just pay off the LR3 before the first car payment.
#3
08-14-2016, 11:26 AM
No I have not, but I checked it out very thoroughly myself. I took a code scanner, I tried all the electronics, and I just changed the oil today and found an OEM LR Oil Filter in place vs a cheap one from a quick lube. Both fan belts are new and so are the Michelin Tires. I'm 99% sure it was dealer serviced in Houston as it's been very well cared for (reason I bought it). I also used the GPS and found the previous owners location and it's in a very $$$$$$ part of town.
I'm new to LR3's but I am by no means new to LR's as I've been around them since I was 15. I read up on all the weak spots like the lower control arm bushings, checking the floor to see if it's damp, even double checked the windshield cowling. I also crawled under it to check the transmission for leaking near that harness. All of the electronics, 4wd, engine, transmission, and the EAS are working as they should. It also a new battery installed. Owners Manual, and one key.
I plan on getting some new brake pads as they've all got 1/4 left. Rotors look fine with no groves, but I'll measure the thickness of them.
I'm pretty confident I found myself a great LR3. Also I liked the fact that it was not all dolled up with armorall/tire foam, and it was NOT Steam cleaned under the hood. It was not dirty by any means, but it was not all squeaky clean with armorall caked onto everything.
I've never ran across a Tonga Green LR3 with a black interior. That's one of the things I liked about it. I'm going to be grabbing an LR3 Expedition rack for it this week as well.
The only part I had to order online after I bought it was the door handle cover on the drivers door. Apparently they're sometimes known to fall off in car washes, or the tab breaks and they just fall off. $22.00 and it'll be here next week.
I'm new to LR3's but I am by no means new to LR's as I've been around them since I was 15. I read up on all the weak spots like the lower control arm bushings, checking the floor to see if it's damp, even double checked the windshield cowling. I also crawled under it to check the transmission for leaking near that harness. All of the electronics, 4wd, engine, transmission, and the EAS are working as they should. It also a new battery installed. Owners Manual, and one key.
I plan on getting some new brake pads as they've all got 1/4 left. Rotors look fine with no groves, but I'll measure the thickness of them.
I'm pretty confident I found myself a great LR3. Also I liked the fact that it was not all dolled up with armorall/tire foam, and it was NOT Steam cleaned under the hood. It was not dirty by any means, but it was not all squeaky clean with armorall caked onto everything.
I've never ran across a Tonga Green LR3 with a black interior. That's one of the things I liked about it. I'm going to be grabbing an LR3 Expedition rack for it this week as well.
The only part I had to order online after I bought it was the door handle cover on the drivers door. Apparently they're sometimes known to fall off in car washes, or the tab breaks and they just fall off. $22.00 and it'll be here next week.
Last edited by Best4x4; 08-14-2016 at 11:28 AM.
#5
08-15-2016, 09:07 PM
I have a feeling the LR3 will out wheel the H3 Alpha. My LR3 has the HD Package with the rear locker, something my H3 does not have. So that right there is a serious advantage. They're both 300HP and equally heavy, but I'm going to go ahead and say the LR has a much more capable computer system assisting in the traction/4wd department.
Also the LR3 has a six speed transmission and it can access more of the 300HP than the H3 Alpha. The H3 Alpha only has a four speed transmission and it does not do a very good job of grabbing a hold of all that 300HP.
Had Hummer stayed alive I'm certain they'd have made improvements to the H3 (in a short time period they added F/R Eaton Lockers, a V8, and a Cast Iron front diff). I was sad to see them die. I was never a fan of the huge H2, but the H3 was truly their best SUV.
I've taken the H3 Alpha on some pretty good trails and it's system did a great job once it kicked it, but you had to trick the ABS/TC into braking in effect creating a poor mans locker. The H3 was very good in the mud though! An area all my Jeep Wranglers suffered in due to not being heavy enough to get any decent traction.
Lots of serious H3 off roaders actually do a SAS (Solid Axle Swap) in the front and slap an ARB locker F/R. Had I kept the H3 and as it retired from being the main family vehicle I'd have certainly invested in that setup.
The H3 Alpha was bullet proof reliable though! Something only time will tell with the LR3. I certainly got a great used one though. Someone truly cared for it and treated it properly which I plan on continuing.
I got the LR G4 Expedition Rack today. I paid 600.00 for it. I was going to buy a LR3 (silver 07) that had the Expedition Rack, but it was nearly 4k more, and my wife really liked the Tonga Green vs the Silver. Then I offered to buy just his rack and he said he had more people interested since it had the rack so I gave up. Then he text me a day later and said he sold his LR3, but the buyer couldn't stand the rack lol. So I was able to meet up with him and get it before his buyer picks up the LR3 tomorrow.
My next mod will probably be the hidden winch mount on the front. My H3 Alpha has a perfect Warn M8000 and it seems I'll make more $$$$ removing the nearly 2K Gobi Stealth Roof Rack, HD ARB Style Rear Bumper, and a few other $$$ off road parts.
Sad how people want all the bells and whistles, and a used vehicle to be perfect, but when you're selling one they want it to be priced like a beat up used one...
Also the LR3 has a six speed transmission and it can access more of the 300HP than the H3 Alpha. The H3 Alpha only has a four speed transmission and it does not do a very good job of grabbing a hold of all that 300HP.
Had Hummer stayed alive I'm certain they'd have made improvements to the H3 (in a short time period they added F/R Eaton Lockers, a V8, and a Cast Iron front diff). I was sad to see them die. I was never a fan of the huge H2, but the H3 was truly their best SUV.
I've taken the H3 Alpha on some pretty good trails and it's system did a great job once it kicked it, but you had to trick the ABS/TC into braking in effect creating a poor mans locker. The H3 was very good in the mud though! An area all my Jeep Wranglers suffered in due to not being heavy enough to get any decent traction.
Lots of serious H3 off roaders actually do a SAS (Solid Axle Swap) in the front and slap an ARB locker F/R. Had I kept the H3 and as it retired from being the main family vehicle I'd have certainly invested in that setup.
The H3 Alpha was bullet proof reliable though! Something only time will tell with the LR3. I certainly got a great used one though. Someone truly cared for it and treated it properly which I plan on continuing.
I got the LR G4 Expedition Rack today. I paid 600.00 for it. I was going to buy a LR3 (silver 07) that had the Expedition Rack, but it was nearly 4k more, and my wife really liked the Tonga Green vs the Silver. Then I offered to buy just his rack and he said he had more people interested since it had the rack so I gave up. Then he text me a day later and said he sold his LR3, but the buyer couldn't stand the rack lol. So I was able to meet up with him and get it before his buyer picks up the LR3 tomorrow.
My next mod will probably be the hidden winch mount on the front. My H3 Alpha has a perfect Warn M8000 and it seems I'll make more $$$$ removing the nearly 2K Gobi Stealth Roof Rack, HD ARB Style Rear Bumper, and a few other $$$ off road parts.
Sad how people want all the bells and whistles, and a used vehicle to be perfect, but when you're selling one they want it to be priced like a beat up used one...
Last edited by Best4x4; 08-15-2016 at 09:12 PM.
#6
08-15-2016, 11:12 PM
Camel Trophy
Gotcha...I thought "Alpha" meant the F/R lockers and 70:1 Crawl Ratio for the H3. I agree on all counts that the H3 was the better of the GM Hummers (meaning the H1 not withstanding) but that the early editions w/o the lockers were not great. I'm not a big fan of IFS, but the lockers would make up for it in those versions that had them.
#7
08-16-2016, 08:05 AM
Yep it's called the Adventure Package. I had an 07 H3 with the 3.7L 5 cylinder and a rear locker. (2009 was when they offerered F/R lockers). The Alpha model means it has a 5.3L v8 vs the 3.7L 5 cylinder. They were both great vehicles. I sold the 07 Adventure so my wife and I could build a fantastic shop/garage. Then I let her drive the Alpha as I had my LR's. Then we found out we were expecting another addition to the family so the LR3 fit the bill perfectly with it's 3rd row. Complete LR family now!
#9
08-16-2016, 09:26 PM
#10
08-17-2016, 03:13 PM
Nice, hope everything remains hunky-dory.
Some parts that may help down the line:
K&N HP1014 is my favorite oil filter, larger than stock.
Akebono pads are nice EUR 1098, 1099 (textars and the others dust a LOT and fade a bit soon).
Prestone dexcool premix 50/50 is good stuff for the next coolant change. Cheap to keep extra around too.
Walmart carries Castrol Edge 5w-30 in 5 quart jugs for pretty cheap.
Some parts that may help down the line:
K&N HP1014 is my favorite oil filter, larger than stock.
Akebono pads are nice EUR 1098, 1099 (textars and the others dust a LOT and fade a bit soon).
Prestone dexcool premix 50/50 is good stuff for the next coolant change. Cheap to keep extra around too.
Walmart carries Castrol Edge 5w-30 in 5 quart jugs for pretty cheap.